With only 15 laps remaining, a devastating crash unfolded during the 2025 Daytona 500 eliminating top NASCAR luminaries including Richard Childress Racing’s Kyle Busch, triggered when Joey Logano attempted to overtake Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Stenhouse shifted inside to block Logano, who relentlessly pursued him from behind. The aggressive maneuver ultimately led to disaster as contact with Stenhouse’s bumper caused both cars to lose control, catching several others in the ensuing melee.
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When the dust settled, nine cars were damaged, and numerous contenders were sidelined from the race. Among them, Busch, whose #8 Chevrolet was entangled in the fray, expressed his displeasure during his post-race interview. He stated, “Looks like the fastest car got in a hurry to get to the wreck.”
Busch continued to show his irritation. He said, “Logano was by far the fastest car today, saw a lot of laps led. And we still got 20 laps to go and he’s trying to go through the middle and make a hole that isn’t there and just created chaos. So, hate it for all of our guys on the Zone Chevrolet. We had a fast car and we were in position and just kind of biding our time and seeing what was going to happen next.”
Commenting on Logano’s spatial awareness, Busch remarked, “You got to know how wide your race car is to be able to find a hole that it’ll fit in and he obviously doesn’t know that.” The crash not only involved Busch but drew in drivers such as Chase Elliott and Haas Factory Team’s Cole Custer among others.
Before turmoil ensued, Logano had been leading the race, having completed 43 laps and captured the Stage 1 victory for his #22 crew at Team Penske. His aggressive moves seemed unnecessary as he was well-positioned to advance and potentially seize victory in the final moments.
Reflecting on the tactical dynamics from the booth, former driver Clint Bowyer also noted how it was clear that the #47 driven by Stenhouse Jr. was not going to give Logano enough space as the latter tried to make the move. “Got a little greedy there, Kevin,” as he addressed his fellow commentator and former Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick.
The wreck ultimately took Busch out of contention for a chance to win one of the biggest trophies NASCAR has to offer, one that has eluded him throughout his famed career. It remains to be seen if he can bag the same next year while working towards getting into victory lane this year as well, something he could not achieve in 2024.
